The one with the observation
by fmd-jade
Summary: Nate wondered how much of her rage was actually played at that moment. He sure wasn't made for observations.
1. Chapter 1

Everybody winced as Kensi slammed her bag down on the table, taking a seat groaningly.

"Hey! Watch that bag of yours!" Sam Hanna exclaimed, having quickly raised his laptop from the surface and setting it down gingerly now.

Kensi just threw him a look over the rim of her sunglasses. "Sorry" She said edgily.

"Whoah, what's with you, Sunshine? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Callen said, putting a cup of coffee down in front of her. "Or didn't wake up in _your _bed at all?" This earned him another pointed glare as well.

Nate looked up from his comic book, eyeing the only female team member with amused interest. "You know, that avoiding an answer could easily be an answer in itself. That by-"

"Doc" Sam interrupted him from his place. "Don't."

Dominic snickered from his place on the couch, when a deep voice suddenly rang out.

"What are you all doing down there? This is not a break room. Mr Beal has been waiting for you. Up, up!" Hetty of course.

Callen shook his head as the team got up and made its way towards the stairs. "What did we do to piss off all the women?"

* * *

"Reid actually came up through a BOLO this morning, while driving through downtown." Eric explained, presenting them footage of a traffic camera showing a busy street in downtown LA. "He went to the bank-" security footage of a bank was seen, "and is now on his way to have breakfast with his two favourite cousins." Eric finished, showing them the last recording of three men walking along a sidewalk.

"Where are they going?" Callen asked immediately, moving closer towards the screen.

"Are we really sure that's Reid?" Sam asked at the same time.

"We don't know. And yes, that's the guy we've been searching for for weeks!" Eric exclaimed indignantly.

"Okay" Callen quickly intervened what was sure to be a lengthy lecture. "Not knowing where they're going makes it harder to prepare. That-"

"means more legwork" Dom finished for him. Everybody turned to him. "What? I mean they already know you two guys" he motioned towards Sam and Callen. "And we can't be sure if they've seen me last time."

This time everybody turned to face Kensi.

"What?"

Callen just raised his eyebrows. "Oh please. I'm not going to do this alone!" She exclaimed, raising her arms in a defensive gesture.

"You could take the Doc" Sam suggested. "Wherever they're going, there might not be any cameras. Kensi could read and the Doc could observe. Could tell us if he really is pressured by his contact men."

Nate grew fidgety. "You're joking right?!"

"Eric, get them wired. You leave in ten." Callen instructed before leaving the tech room with Sam in tow.

* * *

Kensi cautiously watched Nate as he followed their target on the other side of the street, shielding her eyes from the beating sun.

"Loosen up, Nate" she murmured into her comlink.

"_What do you mean?"_ came his whispered reply.

"Keep your distance. Stop looking at them all the time. You're making them nervous."

"_Them? I am the nervous one here. I'm practically defenceless."_

_-"Even more reason not to attract their attention. Told you it was time to learn how to shoot" _sounded Sam's voice over both their comms. _"And now radio silence."_

Kensi internally shook her head. Her day was getting better and better. She kept strolling along her side of the street, apparently distracted by shop windows and the magazine in her hand. They followed their targets for several blocks and she had to wince when one of them turned around and Nate visibly flinched.

"Keep walking, Nate. This may be the only chance we have before he's making himself scarce for the next few weeks again." Kensi instructed him via commlink. The only response she got was a grunt. "And stop checking your surroundings all the time."

She busied herself at the bus station, checking the timetable, and cautiously watched the other side of the street from over her shoulder.

"_Ok, they're sitting down." _Nate sounded nervous. _"They're taking a seat in the sidewalk café at the corner. Second row from the street."_

Before Kensi could reply, Callen gave further instructions. _"Okay Doc. Relax. Take a seat as well. Order a coffee, have breakfast."_

Callen turned towards Sam, sitting behind the wheel of their SUV. "Think he's peeing his pants right now?" He asked.

Sam shrugged, taking a closer look at their live feed on the laptop. "20 bucks saying he won't." Callen just grinned in response.

"_You do realize you're still on comms, right?"_ Sounded Kensi's voice over their speaker. Both agents winced and shot each other a sheepish look. _"You're doing fine, Nate. Just remember to sit down with your wired ear away from them."_

They both waited. Callen grew impatient. "What's taking him so-"

"_Guys, they're looking at me funny!"_

"Might be, 'cause you're talking to yourself, man" Sam snorted. "Doc, is there a camera in there?"

Nate grunted in the affirmative and Callen was already on his phone, instructing Eric. Seconds later, their laptop showed them the inside of a small, busy café. Sam pointed to the left of the screen. "There's Nate. And Reid is over there." He indicated to a few tables to the right from Nate.

"Crap, they're checking him out." Callen commented. "This is not good."

"_I think they're coming my way." _Nate's voice was hushed barely audible.

"We can see that. Don't worry." Callen tried to reassure their psychologist. And indeed, one of the men seemed ready to leap from his chair any second. "Kensi?"

"_Almost there."_ Came her terse reply.

Sam furrowed his brows. Covering their comms, he said "G, we need a plan." Callen just gave him a look and shrugged. His friend seemed to have gotten it and sighed, before taking the comm again. "Kensi, operation girlfriend." There was no response. "Kensi!"

"_Yeah, I got it. I'm there in 4 seconds. Gee, this is getting old really fast."_

They could hear Nate clearing his throat. _"What's operation girlfriend?"_

"Just go with he flow, Doc." Sam said smilingly. "Just go with the flow." He turned towards the passenger seat. "20 saying she's going for the balls again."

Callen drew in a sharp breath, well remembering _that particular_ operation girlfriend. "I'm saying his ears. His ears are huge."

But before Sam could voice his amusement, their was movement on the screen. One of Reid's men was getting up and was only two tables away from Nate now, when Kensi arrived at the scene.

Nate looked up as soon as he noticed a shadow above him. When he lifted is gaze, he was met with the sight of Kensi looming over him, hands on her hips. And looking really pissed.

"So that's what you're doing when you say you visit your parents?" Correction. She was pissed. And Nate could do nothing but gape at her. "Meeting your tramp for breakfast?" Just as Kensi's voice was steadily rising, it dawned on Nate. Operation Girlfriend.

"_Nate, get a move!"_ he heard Callen in his ear.

Just as Kensi opened her mouth, Nate got up from his seat and held out his hands placatingly. "Honey, calm down. I'm-"

"Calm down? You don't get to tell me to calm down!" Kensi yelled at him. "And certainly not to listen to your sorry excuses!"

The psychologist moved around the table, trying to take a hold on her by her upper arms. "I know, honey. But let's not make a scene of it." Kensi struggled out of his grasp, pointing her finger at him. "Why not? Come on, Nate, let's make a scene. So the world can finally know what an insensitive, morally depraved bastard you are!"

For a split second, Nate wondered how much of her fury was actually played at the moment. In the meanwhile he actually managed to get her out of the coffee place, taking her by her upper arm, while she used her fists on him.

"Let me go, you moron! Take your filthy hands off me!"

Nate let her go and raked a hand through his hair in not quite played frustration. "Honey, I'm not meeting anyone, here."

Kensi was back in his face in an instant. "Like hell, you are. That blonde little bitch from your office. What's her name? Audrey? You are…"

Nate stopped concentrating on her words and tried to think of a way to get them out of here. From the corner of his eyes, he could see their targets watching them with mild interest. But hell, so where the other 15 people in there. Although the rate Kensi was going at this, she could keep this up for several hours, but he certainly couldn't. Apart from his… well _lacking_ theatrical skills, he really didn't know what to say or do. All he knew was that this had to end somehow, better sooner than later, while they were still credible.

"What? Swallowed your tongue now? See, you're not even trying to defend yourself, because you know there is not point in it. You-" Nate took her face into his hands and leaned down to press her lips to hers.

He was actually surprised to feel Kensi reciprocate after a short initial shock. His hands tangled in her hair while his lips moved feverishly against hers. It was Kensi, who broke the kiss, tearing her lips from his.

"What are you doing?" She asked confusedly. Somehow, her hands had found their way around his waist and had loosened his shirt from his jeans.

Nate searched her face, not seeing any sign of discomfort. "Would you just shut up for a moment?" He asked, just before he kissed her again, pressing his body flush against hers.

Just as Nate's hand caressed the small part of skin he found at Kensi's waist, their earwigs crackled. _"Guys, it's the middle of the morning. You might want to keep your public display of affection down a bit." _Eric reminded them in no uncertain terms.

Nate and Kensi half-heartedly parted and although Nate kept one of his arms around her, they instantly avoided each other's gaze.

"_I think the big bad wolf got the idea. Little red riding hood can return home." _Sam agreed. _"We're picking you up at the next block corner, my little lovebirds." _He snickered.

Kensi instantly groaned and Nate send her a questioning glance, effectively looking down on her, while they walked to their meeting point. "We're never going to live that down."

"_You're right, you won't." _Agreed Callen.

"Hey Callen, you guys owe me 40 dollars."

"_What? I think you're suffering from oxygen deprivation by our good doc, Kensi."_

Kensi just grinned, momentarily leaning into Nate, his arm still around her shoulder. They were, after all, still under scrutiny. "I didn't go for neither his balls nor his ears. I went with his lips."

"_Oh yeah? Grabbing balls and kissing is not exactly comparable. The bruising-" _Callen uneasily interrupted himself. Thankfully, Sam came to his rescue.

"_Forget it, Blye. We have it all on camera." _The dark blue SUV came to a stop beside them and Sam turned around in his seat, when Kensi and Nate had scrambled into the back seat. "The Doc made a move on you, so you ain't getting nothing!"

Nate just smirked. "Great. You can start repaying _me_ then by stopping for lunch somewhere. I'm starving."

* * *

**I know I probably shouldn't post new things without finishing my other stuff. But what can I say, I was inspired. By** **_MyOwnWorstCritic _actually, hope that's okay. I know it's only been a few episodes, But I just like the idea of Nate and Kensi. And fret not, the second part of _The one with the Bar_ is almost done.**

**You like?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this took so long. Amber, I didn't get round to review your newest NaKed story yet, but it's great!! Though the ficlets could be a bit longer...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Man! She was totally checking me out."

"Are you kidding?" Callen exclaimed, strolling towards their workspace just behind his best friend. "She thought _I_ was hot!"

Sam turned around, huffing in disbelieve. "You? Man, you gotta muscle up before she even lays her eyes on you."

Callen put his bag down on one of the chairs, putting his hands on his hips. "_Muscle up_? You're getting a bit soft there, too, my friend." He gestured towards Sam's hips. "And besides, muscles were yesterday. The women prefer subtle manliness. Not so much to see, but plenty to _feel_."

Sam just snorted and went for the coffee machine. "Forget it, G. She was checking _me_ out!"

Callen shook his head, but beamed as soon as he spotted Kensi coming their way. "Kensi!"

"Morning, guys!" The female agent greeted them, putting down her things.

"Oh no!" Sam shook his head frantically. "No!" Kensi looked at him funny, while Callen just grinned. "G, no." Somehow he knew what his friend was up to.

"What? You afraid?" Callen taunted him, before turning to face Kensi. "Kensi. What do you think? Who is more attractive? Sam or me?"

"What?" Kensi just frowned at them, taking a seat at the table. "You're not being serious, are you?"

Sam moved over to stand next to Callen, arms crossed over his broad chest. "He is. Come on."

Kensi shook her head, before leaning back in her chair and eying both men up and down. "This is ridiculous. I like both of you."

"Yeah, but pretend _not_ to know us." Callen emphasised. "If you just saw us, walking down the street together. Who?"

Kensi just shook her head. "If I saw you two walking down the street together, bickering like you always do, I would wonder how long you two have been together…" she muttered, just as Nate walked up to them standing besides the duo. "What's going on?"

"Kensi's gotta decide, who of us is more attractive." Sam informed their friend.

"O-kay. You do know, though, that a person's measurement for attraction underlies total subjective thinking. That-" He fell silent when he was met by indignant stares.

All of them looked at Kensi expectantly. Kensi sighed and rolled her eyes, before fixing her gaze on her co-workers once more, her gaze sweeping their bodies. She caught her eyes drifting to Nate's form unintentionally a few times as well and just hoped nobody noticed.

"Well?" Callen was growing restless, whereas Nate just watched the scene in front of him with interest. He too was curious, which of her team mates she would chose.

Kensi seemed to have come to a decision, when she looked into their faces again and declared her verdict. "Neither."

"What?"

"You serious?"

She just held up her hands in defence. "Kensi, you have to chose! I can understand if you don't want to hurt G's feelings over here, but come on." Sam looked at her expectantly.

"You are both good looking, but if I didn't know you, I wouldn't feel attracted to either of you."

"Really?" Callen couldn't believe it.

Kensi shrugged, eying her partners once more. "Sam. You'll hate me for saying this, but you're one of the sweetest guys ever. But all your muscles just don't do it for me." Turning towards Callen, she tried watching an uncomfortable looking Nate out of the corner of her eyes. "And Callen. Your scruffy look is not my thing. And… well…" she risked a glance in Nate's direction, not expecting him to meet her gaze. She quickly focused on Callen again. "You'd have to be a bit taller for my liking. And that's all I'm going to say on that subject." She got up to get herself a coffee, ignoring Callen's wounded puppy look as well as Sam carefully watching a suddenly fidgeting Nate.

* * *

Kensi watched the screen in front of her with tired eyes. Even Sam seemed to be worn out, just having opened the wrong file again.

"Dammit. Sometimes I hate this touch screen!" he muttered under his breath, trying to find the right turn. "Stupid little…"

"Hey!" Eric called over from his computer. "Don't insult my baby. She's very sensible."

Sam spun around. "She? Seriously Eric? She? Man… you gotta find a woman." Kensi chuckled and got up from her chair, stretching her tired limbs. "This is going nowhere. Reid is off the radar. We should close the case for now and do some actual work. I'm dying to get out of here again."

Eric's eyes seemed to be glued to Kensi's body stretching lasciviously in front of him. That is, until he caught the warning stare Sam shot him and quickly focused on his screen again, gulping audibly.

Satisfied that the tech's eyes were where they were supposed to be, Sam turned to Kensi. "Think you can get Hetty to sign off on this? Closing the case I mean?" His female team mate shrugged as the silence was interrupted by her cell phone going off.

"Sorry guys" she said, as she fished it out of her back pocket. "My landlord. He's been trying to reach me all day…" Kensi trailed off, as she made her way over to the doorway. Eyes still on the screen, she didn't see the person who'd just come up the stairs and promptly bumped into… Nate.

Luckily the psychologist had better reflexes than her and quickly held on to her upper arms to keep her from falling over. "Oh! Hey! Uh.. Sorry… I, uhm…" Nate stammered, unable to decide whether to look her in the face or not. Her hands, having ended up on his chest, were kind of distracting.

"No, don't worry!" Kensi quickly noticed their almost intimate proximity and took a hasty step back, getting out of his arms. "I'm sorry, I…" Her cell phone stopped ringing. "I'm sorry, I… uh, have to make a call." With a last swift glance at Nate, she sidestepped him and hurried down the stairs.

Nate watched after her for a moment, taking a deep breath, before facing the tech room. He was met with amused faces. Well, one amused face and one grim looking Eric.

"What?"

"Nothin' man." Sam smiled to himself.

Nate frowned at that, before watching the screen. "How's the case coming?"

"Just great." Eric commented sourly, hitting the keys of his computer with more force than probably necessary. The psychologist turned towards Sam, eyebrows raised.

"Don't worry about Eric, Nate. He's just jealous he doesn't have all this sexual tension with Kensi."

"Am not!"

"There's no tension!" Both men exclaimed at the same time. The field agent couldn't help but chuckle.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, all three men hurried down the stairs at the sound of screaming voices. At the end they were met by Callen and Dom.

"I would stop right there, if I were you" Callen advised and held up a hand to stop his friends. The others frowned at him and Dom and the way they stood there totally relaxed.

"What? G, what the hell is-" Sam was interrupted by Kensi storming around the corner. As well as shouting into her phone in a well raised voice. In rapid Portuguese.

All the men cringed when she fired something into the phone. Although they didn't understand a word, they just had a feeling that she was not exchanging pleasantries.

The room was pulled into an unexpected silence when Kensi shut her phone. Her team mates jut raised their eyebrows not daring to ask.

"My little sister" seeing the way the other's cringed, Kensi realized she was still shouting and took a deep breath, continuing in a much calmer voice. "My little sister is staying in town. And apparently she's throwing a party right now for what sounded like a hundred people and pissed off my landlord. Who happens to still be irritated because Sam and Callen broke down my door last month."

"Kensi, we-"

"thought you were in mortal danger!" Both were quick to defend themselves. "Yeah! And we apologized! Profoundly!"

She held up her hand, to silence them. "It's okay. I know. I just have to go home now and face this mess…"

"If your sister is just visiting, how does she know all this people to have a party with?" Dom wondered.

Kensi just shrugged. "I have no idea. I just hope I can lose them as quickly as she found them."

"You sure you okay?" Callen asked cautiously. "'Cause you know, we do have our very own… shrink… here…." Having laid a hand upon Nate's shoulder next to him he quickly trailed off when he noticed his friends flinching and nervously looking everywhere but at each other. Dom cleared his throat nervously. Kensi finally sent him a tight smile. "Thanks. But I think I'm good." She quickly smiled at all five of them, her eyes lingering on Nate a few moments longer, before making her way to the locker room.

"Way to make things awkward, Callen!" Eric congratulated his friend, before ascending up the stairs again. "Hey Dom, wanna play 'Need for Speed'?" The youngest agent smiled and quickly hurried after the tech.

"Great G, just great!" Sam stepped over towards his friend, but Callen didn't acknowledge him. His hand was still on Nate's shoulder, his eyes set intently on the psychiatrist's face. Nate himself was still looking the way Kensi had left and didn't even seem to notice the others around him.

"Nate?" Callen warily asked. That seemed to get the other man out of his stupor. "Yeah." He randomly exclaimed, shaking himself out of his reverie. "Good night, guys." With a last look in the direction of the locker rooms he left in the opposite direction.

Callen turned towards his friend. "What did I do? What's going on here?"

"Seriously, G?" Sam just shook his head. "Come on, there's a party we have to break up."

"Break up? What if her sister is hot?"

* * *

Nate stood in front of his shelves, searching for a book when there was a tentative knock against his doorway. When he looked up, he found Kensi standing in the open doorway just a few feet to his left, looking tired and having her arms crossed.

"Hey." She said tentatively.

"Hey." His voice sounded hoarse and he quickly cleared his throat. "I thought there was a party you had to crash?"

"Uhm… there is." She nervously changed her stance. "I just thought I'd give Sam and Callen a chance to get there first. Sam said they-"

"Yeah" Nate interrupted softly. "I thought they would."

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Kensi looked down at her feet, then at his dimly lit office, before facing him again. "So… your office turned out nice. I think your office may be the only one with an actual door."

Nate smiled in return, uneasily playing with the book in his hand. "Yeah, it is." He cleared his throat again. "But closing it might send the wrong signal, so I'm leaving it open…"

"Right…" Kensi nodded and smiled a tight smile. When she had raked the room with her eyes once more, she couldn't stand it anymore. Apparently, the same was true for her opponent. "Nate-"  
"Kensi-" Nate smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. You go first."

Kensi took a step forward, contemplating to close the door behind her. Thinking of the signal _that_ might send, she left it open.

"Nate…" She sighed. "Things have been a bit awkward between us the last few days." Nate nodded in agreement. "Ever since that blown observation" he supplied taking a step towards her.

"Yeah." Their eyes locked for a moment and Kensi moved further towards him, as if drawn by an invisible force. "And I know you probably have this all figured out, being a trained psychologist and everything, but-"

"I don't." Nate interrupted her. "I'm sorry, I just…" He evaded her gaze, thinking about his next words. "I know this was not your first 'Operation Girlfriend' but…"

They stood directly in front of each other now, searching each others eyes. Nate's eyes involuntarily swayed to Kensi's lips while he nervously bit on his own. Both of them were pulled towards the other until they were only inches away.

"Nate?" Kensi's vice was husky. Nate searched for any uncertainty in her eyes, something that would have stopped him from what he was about to do. There was none. Both of them moved forward at the same time, grabbing each other where they could as their lips met in a heated kiss.

When their lips moved against each other there was nothing left of the nervousness displayed only moments earlier. While his lips seemed to melt against hers, Nate moved one of his hands from its place tangled in Kensi's hair and moved it to her lower back, pressing her against him. Kensi responded eagerly and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, raking his muscles. She moved one of her hands down to his waist, tugging his shirt out of pants. One hand in her hair, one at her lower back, Nate tried to move them, effectively pressing Kensi against the small part of the wall not covered by shelves. Kensi had managed to sneak one of her hands under his shirt and stroked the skin she found there.

Their lips, still moving passionately against each other, began to move slower, more caressing and gentle, until they finally broke apart. Nate's hand was still roaming her hips and waist, while he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "We shouldn't-"

Kensi moved forward, cupping his face and pressed her lips to his. It was Nate who broke off the kiss, forcing himself to remove his hands from her waist.

"Kensi." She looked into his eyes, catching his gaze. Her hands fell to her sides, her breath was still coming in short gasps. Putting his hands against the wall on both sides of her head Nate leaned against the wall, looking down on her. Their foreheads were almost touching. "This is a bad idea."

Kensi looked up at him, smiling almost ruefully. "Yeah. It is." She closed her eyes for a moment and when she looked at him again, Nate could have sworn he saw her determination in them.

"I should go." Her voice sounded more resolutely than she felt. Nate nodded solemnly, forcing himself to take a few steps back from her, stuffing his restless hands into his pockets. He watched after her as she made her way over to the door and looked up, when she turned around again. "Nate?"

"Yeah?" He hoped he didn't sound as hopeful as he felt. Maybe she would change her mind. Maybe she would tell him they could screw the consequences. Maybe he didn't need to be the voice of reason here. Maybe-

"We're good, right?"

"Sure. We're good." Nate smiled softly at her, encouraging her as best as he could, before turning around to his desk with a frustrated sigh.


End file.
